DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Nauta testified to a grand jury two months before the August 2022 search about boxes he took from Mar-a-Lago’s storage room in January 2022. Nauta grand jury testimony could be used at trial against TrumpThe newly unredacted Mar-a-Lago search warrant affidavit and Nauta’s grand jury testimony were included in court filings as part of several challenges Trump and Nauta are making against Smith’s case. 03:33 - Source: CNNNauta’s grand jury testimony could become a notable part of an eventual trial against Trump. Even if Nauta refuses to testify, prosecutors could seek to use his grand jury statements about Trump in their presentation to a jury. According to the affidavit, the Justice Department sought from the Trump Organization Mar-a-Lago’s surveillance footage in the immediate days after Nauta’s grand jury testimony.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, Walt Nauta, Nauta, ” Nauta, Jack Smith, Carlos De Oliveira, vindictively, Lago, FPOTUS, ”, Stanley Woodward, Aileen Cannon, pushback, CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz Organizations: CNN, National Archives, Mar, FBI, Trump, Archives, Justice Department, Trump White House, NARA, Trump Organization, US Locations: Lago, Florida, Mar, Nauta, United States

☆ How Justice Amy Coney Barrett drove the Supreme Court’s debate on abortion and Trump immunity
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( John Fritze | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Barrett pins Trump down on his absolute immunity argumentsAs the second-least senior justice, Barrett sits at the far end of the Supreme Court’s mahogany bench. That was a notable break from earlier arguments Trump submitted that called for “absolute” immunity on a much wider scale of acts. A party turns to a private attorney, Barrett hypothesized, “who was willing to spread knowingly false claims of election fraud” to spearhead his challenges to an election. That appeared to be a reference to former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, identified by CNN as “co-conspirator 1” in Smith’s indictment. “This is where someone like Justice Barrett gets to pressure test an advocate’s points,” she said.

Persons: John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, ”, Donald Trump, Barrett, Trump’s, Trump, Roe, Wade, “ We’ve, Steve Vladeck, “, Jack Smith’s, John Sauer, –, Sauer, Smith, Rudy Giuliani, ” Barrett, ” Sauer, Michael Dreeben, ” Dreeben, Ilya Somin, ” Somin, ” ‘, Sonia Sotomayor, quizzing, Biden, Sotomayor, Josh Turner, Turner, I’m, ” Turner, ” Barrett interjected, ’ ”, Beth Brinkmann, litigator Organizations: CNN, Center for Reproductive Rights, University of Texas School of Law, Trump, George Mason University Locations: Idaho

Trump himself has continued to lobby for absolute immunity, including before his appearance at a New York court where he’s on trial for business fraud. Dreeben told Barrett that the indictment against Trump is substantially about private conduct, meaning that a trial could proceed even if the Supreme Court finds some immunity for Trump’s official actions. Liberal justices weren’t impressed with Trump’s absolute immunity claimsIt was pretty clear where the court’s three liberals will be when the opinion lands. With arguments over, focus shifts to timing for decisionThe arguments about Trump’s immunity claim are over. In the immunity case, the court already helped Trump by denying the special counsel request last December to leapfrog the appeals court and resolve the question quickly.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Jack Smith carte, Trump, John Roberts, Roberts, didn’t, he’s, ” Roberts, skeptically, ” Trump, John Sauer, Sauer, Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Elena Kagan, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, ”, Justice Barrett, Barrett –, Barrett, Smith, ” Barrett, Michael Dreeben, Dreeben, weren’t, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kagan, “, that’s, ” Kagan, Jackson, ” Jackson, “ I’m, Alito, they’d, ” Alito, ’, Ty Cobb, Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Richard Nixon, Gore, Katelyn Polantz, Hannah Rabinowitz, Holmes Lybrand Organizations: CNN, Trump, Appeals, DC Circuit, Georgia, Republican National Committee, Arizona, Justice Department, Trump isn’t Locations: New York, Arizona, Michigan , Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, Washington

☆ Live Updates: Supreme Court Hears Trump’s Claim to ‘Absolute Immunity’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Adam Liptak | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Political appointees in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel have declared that the Constitution implicitly establishes immunity for sitting presidents. But political appointees in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, whose interpretations are binding on the executive branch, have declared that the Constitution implicitly establishes such immunity. (That same month, Mr. Nixon had Mr. Cox fired in the so-called Saturday Night Massacre. Amid a political backlash, Mr. Nixon was forced to allow a new special counsel, Leon Jaworski, to resume the investigation.) Mr. Starr later said that he had concluded that he could indict Mr. Clinton.

Persons: Donald J, Robert G, Dixon Jr, Dixon, Richard M, Nixon, Archibald Cox, Nixon’s, Robert H, Bork, Cox, Leon Jaworski, Bill Clinton, Kenneth Starr, Monica Lewinsky, Randolph D, Moss, Department’s, Jaworski, Mr, Ronald Rotunda, Starr, Clinton, ”, Rotunda, ” Mr, Starr —, — Organizations: Justice Department’s, White, Justice Department, Justice Locations: Whitewater, “

Asked for proof of his claim that Mr. Biden was personally directing the local cases against him, Mr. Trump pointed to purported ties between prosecutors and “Washington,” but provided no evidence that Mr. Biden had been involved in any of the hiring decisions, conversations or meetings that Mr. Trump cited. The writer E. Jean Carroll filed her first lawsuit against Mr. Trump in November 2019, accusing him of defamation. Faulty and irrelevant comparisonsWhat Mr. Trump Said“I got indicted more than Al Capone.”— in a rally in Ohio in MarchFalse. Mr. Hur described Mr. Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” who had “diminished faculties and faulty memory.” He did not declare Mr. Biden mentally incompetent to stand trial. Inaccurate attacks on judgesWhat Mr. Trump Said“Judge Juan Merchan is totally compromised, and should be removed from this TRUMP Non-Case immediately.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, President Biden, Trump’s, ”, Trump Said “ Biden, General Merrick B, Garland, Trump “, Biden, Mr, Doug Mills, Trump Said, Jack Smith, Merrick Garland’s, Fani Willis, Letitia James, Alvin L, Bragg, Matthew Colangelo, Colangelo, —, James’s, Colangelo’s, Bragg ramped, Willis, Willis — Nathan J, Wade, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kamala Harris, Harris, Crooked Joe Biden, James, Jean Carroll, Smith, Brittainy Newman, Alexei Navalny, Navalny, Letitia James ’, Hunt, PolitiFact, Trump Said “, Al Capone, Capone, Brad Schwartz, Hillary, Bill, Bush, Reagan, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, Bill Clinton’s, Taylor Branch, Branch, “, Barack Obama, George W, Bill Clinton, George H.W, Ronald Reagan, Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Juan Merchan, Loren, Loren Merchan, Merchan, Merchan’s, Justice Merchan, Ahmed Gaber, Arthur F, Justice Engoron, Engoron Organizations: New York, Democratic Party, Trump, Justice Department, The New York Times, The, White House, Trump . Credit, New York Times, American People, Biden Administration, Prosecutors, Mr, Manhattan, Washington, Fox News, New, Times, White, Counsel’s Office, Supreme, Black, Trump Organization, Democrat, Companies, Exxon Mobil, Trump Foundation, Trump University, Associated, National Archives, Records Administration, TRUMP, Twitter, Credit Locations: Manhattan, Georgia, Trump ., Washington, New York, “ Washington, Fulton County ,, Russian, New, Ohio, Fla, South Carolina, Trump’s Florida, Beach

☆ January 6 rioters want the Supreme Court to let them off the hook from obstruction charge
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( John Fritze | Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Now, the Supreme Court will consider whether the prosecutors’ interpretation of the law can be used against the rioters and whether the convictions already secured will stick. The charge at issue in the Supreme Court case stems from a law Congress enacted in response to a series of corporate accounting scandals, including the 2001 Enron debacle. The case before the Supreme Court involves only that last charge. All three defendants appealed to the Supreme Court, but the justices granted only Fischer’s case. In a filing last week at the Supreme Court in Trump’s immunity case, Smith argued the obstruction charge should stick against Trump even if Fischer wins.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jack Smith, Trump, ”, Claire Finkelstein, ” Trump, Fischer, Stormy Daniels, “, Joe Biden’s, Critics, Joseph Fischer, texted, ” Fischer, Nicholas Smith, Smith, Randall Eliason, Clarence Thomas, Ginni Thomas, Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Samuel Alito, Eliason, Antonin Scalia, ” Eliason Organizations: CNN, Capitol, ” Prosecutors, Trump, Justice Department, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Enron, Prosecutors, Appeals, DC Circuit, George Washington University, White Locations: Pennsylvania, New York, ”, Colorado

☆ House sends Mayorkas impeachment articles to the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Annie Grayer | Priscilla Alvarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —House Republicans have sent to the Senate two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a step that launches a trial in the Senate as GOP lawmakers seek to highlight President Joe Biden’s handling of immigration policy. House Republicans do not have the votes or concrete evidence to impeach Biden given their razor-thin majority, leaving that separate impeachment inquiry stalled. GOP arguments for impeachment and pushback from constitutional expertsWhen Johnson originally informed Schumer he would be sending the impeachment articles over to the Senate, he laid out why he believed a Mayorkas impeachment was justified. “These articles lay out a clear, compelling, and irrefutable case for Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ impeachment,” Green said in a statement provided to CNN. “I think that what the House Republicans are asserting is that Secretary Mayorkas is guilty of maladministration,” Garber said.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden’s, Mayorkas, Biden, —, impeaching Biden, ”, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Trump, Ian Sams, Johnson, Schumer, Mark Green of, Alejandro Mayorkas ’, ” Green, systemically, Samuel Alito, Ross Garber, ” Garber, “, Michael Chertoff, George W, Bush, Jonathan Turley, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, “ I’m, CNN’s Manu Raju, I’ve, –, John Thune, ” Johnson, Pro Tempore Patty Murray, Michael McCaul of, Andy Biggs of, Clay Higgins, Ben Cline of Virginia, Michael Guest of, Andrew Garbarino, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Pfluger, Harriet Hageman of, Laurel Lee, CNN’s Ted Barrett, Morgan Rimmer Organizations: CNN — House Republicans, Homeland, Senate, Democratic, Republicans, Homeland Security, Biden, House Republicans, DHS, ’, Louisiana Republican, Truth, White, CNN, Congress, Tulane University, Republican, Senate Democratic, Mayorkas, Pro Tempore Locations: Louisiana, Mark Green of Tennessee, Washington, Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Michael Guest of Mississippi, New York, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Texas, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Laurel Lee of Florida

☆ Fact check: Trump’s false and unsubstantiated claims about his Manhattan criminal case
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

With Trump’s trial scheduled to start Monday, here is a fact check of some of Trump’s remarks. Trump’s baseless claims that Biden is secretly running the caseTrump has repeatedly claimed that the Manhattan case has been secretly orchestrated by President Joe Biden, Biden’s White House or the Biden-era federal Justice Department. Third, there is no basis for the claim that Colangelo oversees Bragg; Bragg is Colangelo’s boss. Facts First: Trump’s claims are not even close to true; Manhattan, like New York City as a whole, is nowhere near record highs for murder or violent crime more broadly. They want to take away my constitutional right to talk.”Facts First: Trump’s claims are exaggerations.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump’s, Biden, Trump, Joe Biden, Biden’s, Matthew Colangelo, Alvin Bragg, Joe Biden’s, ”, “, ” Trump, Thugs ”, Colangelo, ” Bragg, Bragg, It’s, Joe Schmoe, ’, Jeff Asher, Juan Merchan, Loren Merchan, Loren Merchan “, Al Baker, Loren Merchan didn’t, Baker, Loren Merchan’s, Judge Merchan’s, Judge, I’m, Merchan, Merchan’s, Soros, George Soros, Michael Vachon, Vachon, Alvin Bragg’s, ” Soros, Rashad Robinson, overstate, Al Capone, Capone, Brad Schwartz, CNN couldn’t, Schwartz Organizations: Washington CNN, Justice Department, DOJ, Biden, Bragg, Manhattan, New York, CNN, Trump, Democratic, The Spectator, Soros, PAC, Democracy PAC, Change’s PAC Locations: Manhattan, York’s, New, New York City, Pennsylvania, Fulton County , Georgia

☆ Trump’s extreme rhetoric is a mainstay of his 2024 campaign. Much of it could become a reality if he wins another term
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Phil Mattingly | Andrew Seger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

His pledge to direct Justice Department investigations is backed by allies who view his second term as driven by a maximalist theory of a president’s authority. But it also underscores why a second Trump term would be dramatically different. Some in Washington saw them as guardrails for a White House intent on fracturing not one, but all three branches of government. Yet Trump, should he secure a second term, would enter the White House with his most powerful Republican critics on Capitol Hill almost all gone. That would be a position that isn’t backed by his second term policy plans, or his private impulses during his first term in office – or, for that matter, in the decades prior.

Persons: Donald Trump, –, guardrails Trump, Jack Smith, Trump, ” Trump, Biden, ”, Joe Biden, he’s, He’s, Liz Cheney, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, John Kerry, John Bolton, It’s, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Ryan, ” McConnell, Mike Johnson, “, aren’t, Trump’s, – “, Hugh Hewitt, ” “, Charlie Rose, Rose, Larry King, Erin Burnett Organizations: CNN, Republican, Department, Capitol, Democrats, Trump, White, GOP, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Democratic, Trump’s Justice, Bolton, Congressional Republicans, Wisconsin Republican, Louisiana Republican, Mar, White House, Justice Department, CNBC Locations: Washington, Wisconsin, Louisiana

☆ FBI interview transcript reveals how Trump aide characterized boxes at Mar-a-Lago to investigators
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Tierney Sneed | Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The transcript of an FBI interview made public late Thursday details how an aide to former President Donald Trump characterized the boxes of sensitive documents that are now at the center of the special counsel’s case into the mishandling of classified documents from the Trump White House. For much of the May 2022 interview, Nauta describes the layout of Mar-a-Lago, what he claimed to know about where boxes of Trump’s items from the White House were stored and his assessment of what was in the boxes. Nauta has been charged with conspiring to conceal documents as well as lying to the FBI in his interview about the location and movement of boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago. According to the transcript, investigators at one point in the interview ask Nauta whether he was aware of Trump showing a document with classified markings to people while on a plane. So that’s kind of the reason why we’re looking into this.”Nauta denied telling Trump that he was sitting for the interview, and according to the transcript, Nauta said he told Trump that he was going for a run.

Persons: Donald Trump, Walt Nauta, Nauta, Trump, Aileen Cannon, Jack Smith’s, we’ve, ” Nauta Organizations: CNN, FBI, Trump White House, Mar, Trump

☆ D.N.C. Helped Pay Biden’s Legal Bills in Special Counsel Investigation
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Reid J. Epstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Even as some of President Biden’s top campaign officials were attacking Donald J. Trump’s campaign for soliciting donations to pay his legal fees, the Biden-aligned Democratic National Committee was helping pay for lawyers in the special counsel investigation into Mr. Biden’s handling of classified documents. has directed at least $1.7 million to lawyers since July to cover the president’s representation in the documents inquiry, a figure that pales in comparison to Mr. Trump’s use of supporters’ donations to pay his hefty legal fees. The former president has spent more than $100 million on legal bills since leaving office, relying almost entirely on donations. Federal Election Commission records show that since the investigation began last year, the D.N.C. has paid $1.05 million to Bob Bauer, the president’s lawyer.

Persons: Biden’s, Donald J, Bob Bauer, Jennifer Miller, Biden, ”, —, Axios, Barack Obama Organizations: Biden, Democratic, Committee, Commission Locations: Boston

☆ Witnesses in Trump classified documents case will remain secret, federal judge orders
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Katelyn Polantz | Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A federal judge decided Tuesday that the names of potential witnesses in the classified documents case against Donald Trump will remain secret – resolving one of the issues that has created a logjam in the criminal case. But, Cannon said, witness statements can be used in the public filings — unless those statements would be identifying. Smith had strongly pushed back on a previous order from Cannon for transparency surrounding the identification of witnesses, pointing to fears of witness harassment. CNN previously reported that the potential witness list includes a number of low-level workers from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump’s lawyers had argued they should be able to name potential witnesses, as is typical in criminal cases.

Persons: Donald Trump, Aileen Cannon, Jack Smith’s, Cannon, redactions, Smith, ”, Trump’s, Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump’s Mar Locations: Trump’s, Lago, Florida, Fort Pierce , Florida

CNN —Special counsel Jack Smith urged the Supreme Court on Monday to reject Donald Trump’s claims of sweeping immunity and to deny the former president any opportunity to delay a trial on charges that he attempted to subvert the results of the 2020 election. Trump’s position, Smith told the court, has no grounding in the Constitution, the nation’s history or Americans’ understanding that presidents are not above the law. Even if the Supreme Court finds that former presidents are entitled to some form of immunity, Smith asserted, at least some of Trump’s actions were private conduct – far removed from “official acts” – and could be prosecuted. The Supreme Court will hear arguments April 25, and a decision is expected by July. Instead, he said that if the Supreme Court finds that former presidents are entitled to some immunity, a trial could get underway focused on Trump’s private actions.

Persons: Jack Smith, Donald Trump’s, Smith, ” –, ” Smith, Trump’s, doesn’t, ” Trump, “, ”, Trump, – Organizations: CNN, Court, Trump, Supreme, DC Locations: “, ”

Washington CNN —CNN has sued for access to recordings of federal investigators’ interview with President Joe Biden in the now-closed probe over his handling of classified documents. “Without access to any of the interview records, the press and public initially could not form their own conclusions about Hur’s characterization of Biden. Jason Leopold, a reporter for Bloomberg News who frequently brings FOIA lawsuits, also has filed two lawsuits for access to records Hur created. The Judicial Watch complaint, filed in March, specifically seeks access to the Biden interview recordings. In the interview, Hur said Biden couldn’t remember the years he was vice president or when his son died.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Joe Biden, Robert Hur’s, Biden, Hur, …, Donald Trump, Jason Leopold, Beau’s, “, ” Organizations: Washington CNN, Washington CNN — CNN, Justice, DOJ, CNN, DC, Justice Department, Bloomberg News, Heritage Foundation, Judicial Watch, ” Locations: Washington ,

☆ Special counsel blasts judge’s jury instruction request in Trump documents case
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In an unusual order last month, Cannon asked attorneys on the classified documents case to submit briefs on potential jury instructions defining terms of the Espionage Act, under which Trump is charged over mishandling 32 classified records. Specifically, Cannon asked the special counsel and defense attorneys to write two versions of proposed jury instructions. Trump’s attorneys claim he did have that authority and have asked the judge to throw out the criminal charges. “Medical science has not yet devised an instrument which can record what was in one’s mind in the distant past,” Trump’s attorneys wrote. Cannon appeared skeptical that the charges should be outright dismissed during the hearing, but she said that Trump’s attorneys were making “forceful” arguments that may be appropriate to present to a trial jury.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump, Jack Smith, ” Smith’s, Cannon, Trump, ”, ’ Organizations: CNN, Presidential Records, White, ”, “, Prosecutors, Trump, National Archives, Mar Locations: Lago

☆ Judge in classified documents case grapples with how Trump’s personal records claim could be explained to a jury
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

I don’t understand where she is going with this order,” Brad Moss, a national security lawyer, told CNN on Monday. Part of the law under which Trump is charged criminalizes a person having unauthorized possession of records related to national defense. Still, the judge asked prosecutors and defense lawyers to write versions of their proposed jury instructions that consider the PRA by April 2. “Engage with the following competing scenarios and offer alternative draft text that assumes each scenario to be a correct formulation of the law to be issued to a jury,” Cannon wrote on Monday. The second scenario would assume that as president, Trump had complete authority to take records he wanted from the White House under the PRA.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump’s, Trump, – Cannon, Cannon, wouldn’t, Brad Moss, “, ” Moss, she’s, ” Cannon, Moss Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Department, “, White House, National Archives Locations: Trump’s

☆ Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in discussions to help with reelection effort
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Kristen Holmes | Jack Forrest | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump’s team is in discussions with Paul Manafort, his 2016 campaign chairman whom he later pardoned, to potentially help with the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, three sources familiar with the ongoing conversations told CNN. Manafort, who was one of several individuals who ran Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, was pardoned by Trump after being found guilty of several financial crimes in 2018. Trump has told allies he wanted to bring Manafort back into the fold, but it was unclear in what capacity. The former Trump campaign staffer was found to have committed financial fraud in 2019. Even after resigning as chairman of Trump’s campaign, he was still involved with the former president’s transition to the White House, CNN reported at the time.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Paul Manafort, Manafort, Trump, Trump’s, Robert Mueller, Manafort’s, Reagan, CNN’s Evan Perez, Katelyn Polantz, Dan Merica Organizations: CNN, Republican National Convention, Washington Post, Trump, Republican, GOP, White House Locations: Milwaukee, Russian, Russia Ukrainian

Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the case, has set apart an entire day to hear arguments on whether the prosecution should be thrown out on the basis of Trump’s claims about his presidential classification powers. Trump is facing dozens of charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents, and for obstructing the Justice Department’s investigation. As president, defense attorneys argue, Trump was the chief classification officer and could mark any documents as “personal” and legally take those documents with him when he left office. Their arguments cite the Presidential Records Act, the federal law that governs how documents from an outgoing presidential administration are handled. The PRA says the moment a president leaves office, the National Archives and Records Administration gets custody and control of all presidential records from their administration.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jack Smith, Trump, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, –, Joe Biden’s, Department’s, I’m, “ Organizations: CNN, FBI, Records, National Archives, Records Administration, Presidential Records, Trump

☆ Top news outlets acknowledge Hur’s characterization of Biden’s mental state didn’t match reality
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Wall Street Journal declared that the transcripts of Biden’s deposition with Hur released on Tuesday painted “a more nuanced picture” than the report indicated. Strangely, that characterization of Biden didn’t find its way into his report — and, thus, the crush of ensuing news stories. To be fair to news organizations, they were faced with a thorny, difficult decision after the Hur report dropped. On the other hand, leaning hard into the report, producing scores of stories and television segments about Hur’s characterization of Biden’s age, proved ultimately to be unwise as well. What news organizations can do now, however, is forcefully acknowledge that the deposition transcript poured cold water on Hur’s over-the-top characterization of Biden’s mental fitness.

Persons: Joe, Robert, Hur, Biden, “ clearheaded, Biden “ doesn’t, Charlie Savage, ” Hur, Biden didn’t, commendably, Bill Grueskin, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, Biden, Columbia Journalism School Locations: New York, ”, That’s, U.S, Afghanistan, Wilmington

☆ Stephen Colbert Slams Former Special Counsel’s Conclusions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Trish Bendix | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. Thanks for the MemoriesOn Tuesday, the former special counsel Robert K. Hur testified before the House Judiciary Committee, answering questions about his investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents. In his report, Hur referred to Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”“Yes, Biden has been dangerously forgetful, unlike Trump, who always remembers that he’s running against Obama, and unopposed, at that, since Nancy Pelosi dropped out,” Stephen Colbert said on his show Tuesday night.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Biden, ”, Nancy Pelosi, ” Stephen Colbert Organizations: Netflix, Trump, Obama

☆ Takeaways from Robert Hur’s testimony on Biden’s mishandling of classified documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Jeremy Herb | Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

which found evidence Biden willfully retained classified materials but that the evidence did not rise to the level of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. And he took on criticism directly over his inclusion of the state of Biden’s memory. On the Republican side, lawmakers pressed Hur on why he didn’t charge Biden despite the evidence of classified documents in Biden’s possession. “In short, to borrow a phrase from the last administration, the Hur report represents the complete and total exoneration of President Biden,” Nadler said. Hur found some evidence that Biden willfully retained classified materials after he left the Obama White House.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden’s, Hur, Biden, Donald Trump, Jim Jordan’s, Jerry Nadler, Jordan, misremembering, Trump, Viktor Orbán, ” Nadler, Jacquelyn Martin, AP Hur, ” Hur, “, Robert Mueller, Mueller, Eric Swalwell of, ” Swalwell, isn’t, ”, Hank Johnson, Adam Schiff, ” Schiff, didn’t, I’m, ’ ”, Tom McClintock, Joe Biden, Biden “, Obama, “ Joe Biden, he’s, Mr, ” Jordan, Nadler, Biden’s, CNN’s Devan Cole, Hannah Rabinowitz, Holmes Lybrand, Evan Perez Organizations: Committee, Republicans, Biden, Trump, Rep, Department of Justice, Capitol, Democratic, Georgia Democrat, ”, California Democrat, Senate, Republican, California Republican, Democrat, Ohio Republican, Obama Locations: Egypt, Mexico, Hungary, Turkey, Washington ,, Russia, Eric Swalwell of California, Georgia, California, House, Ohio

☆ How the Special Counsel’s Portrayal of Biden’s Memory Compares With the Transcript
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Charlie Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A transcript of a special counsel’s hourslong interview of President Biden over his handling of classified files shows that on several occasions the president fumbled with dates and the sequence of events, while otherwise appearing clearheaded. In a report released last month, Mr. Hur concluded that there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr. Biden with a crime after classified documents ended up in an office he used after his vice presidency and in his home in Delaware. But the report also portrayed Mr. Biden, 81, as an “elderly man with a poor memory,” touching off a political furor amid his re-election campaign. Mr. Biden’s lawyers, who were present for five hours of questioning over two days, have challenged the damaging portrait by Mr. Hur, a former Trump administration official. But the transcript had not been publicly available to evaluate Mr. Hur’s assessment that Mr. Biden’s memory has “significant limitations.”

Persons: Biden, Robert K, Hur, Mr, Mr . Hur Organizations: The New York Times, Trump Locations: Delaware

☆ Poised and Precise, Hur Enters Fray Over Special Counsel’s Report on Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The former special counsel Robert K. Hur, denounced by Democrats for his unsparing description of President Biden’s memory lapses, had one of his own during his testimony on Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee. Representative James R. Comer, a Kentucky Republican, made passing reference to Dana A. Remus, a Democratic lawyer who had served as White House counsel under Mr. Biden from January 2021 to July 2022. Mr. Hur crinkled an eyebrow and corrected him: No, he said, she occupied that post under President Obama. The misstep was an isolated moment in an otherwise poised and precise appearance by Mr. Hur, 51, who was testifying about his report on the investigation into Mr. Biden’s handling of classified documents. Mr. Hur, a Trump-era Justice Department official known among former colleagues for keeping a cool head in high-stress, high-stakes situations, incited a furor after describing the president as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

Persons: Robert K, Hur, James R, Comer, Dana A, Remus, Biden, Mr, Obama, Mr . Hur, . Hur, ” Organizations: Kentucky Republican, Democratic, White, -, Department Locations: Kentucky

I ended up loading all the luggage I had – and he had a bunch of boxes,” Butler said of Nauta. But I also have a bad feeling that what I’m saying is getting him into trouble,” Butler told CNN. Given his long history at Trump’s club, Butler shed light on potentially critical instances related to the disclosure of classified information. De Oliveira hung up the phone, happily, and told Butler that Trump would provide him an attorney, Butler says. I think we went to sit down,” Butler told CNN.

Persons: Kaitlan Collins, CNN —, Donald Trump’s, Brian Butler, “, Jack Smith, Butler, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, Lago, Donald Trump, CNN Butler, Nauta, De Oliveira, didn’t, ‘, ” Butler, Department’s, he’s, John Irving, Florida Butler, MAGA, Trump’s, ’, I’m, De Oliveria, Brian Butler's, Jeffrey Sloman, De Oliveira nudging, Anthony Pratt, Pratt, there’s, There’s De Oliveira, Melania Trump, putts De Oliveira, Taylor Swift, De, “ Carlos, pats, Butler “, Carlos, ‘ He’s, ’ ” Butler Organizations: CNN, “ Trump, Trump, Mar, Justice Department, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, CNN The Florida, FBI, Southern, Southern District of, Smith’s, Prosecutors Locations: Mar, Palm Beach , Florida, Trump, New Jersey, Nauta, Palm Beach, Lago, West Palm, Florida, Palm, South Florida, Southern District, Southern District of Florida, Russian, Butler

In Florida, meanwhile, a federal judge could push back Trump’s trial date in the classified documents case. Special Counsel Jack Smith and attorneys for Trump proposed moving the trial later into the summer in court filings Thursday. For Friday’s hearing in the documents case, scheduled for 10 a.m. Smith has highlighted a myriad of threats made against individuals connected to the documents case, including witnesses, government employees, an FBI agent involved in the initial Mar-a-Lago search and two federal judges, including Cannon herself. Attorneys for Trump and his allies are expected to argue that Wade and Willis lied under oath about when their relationship started.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Fani Willis, Aileen Cannon, Joe Biden’s, Jack Smith, Smith, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliviera, De Oliviera’s, Cannon, —, Biden, – Nauta, De Oliveira, –, Willis, Scott McAfee, Nathan Wade, Wade, McAfee, Charles Mittelstadt, Terrence Bradley, Bradley, Ashleigh Merchant, Merchant Organizations: CNN, Trump —, White, National Security Council, Prosecutors, Trump Locations: Georgia, Florida, Fulton County, California, Belize, Caribbean

Search resuls for: "Counsel’s"

25 mentions found